Mechanism for feeding blanks and the like



June 23, 1925. 1,543,251

c. FASSINGER MECHANISM FOR FEEDING BLANKS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Sept. '7, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 M 6 5 J /2/' I 47 76 J4 lNVENTQH June 23, 1925. 1,543,251

(3. FASSINGER MECHANISM FOR FEEDING BLANKS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Sept. 7, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 iNVENTOR June 23, 1925. 1,543,251

- c. FASSINGER MECHANISM FOR FEEDING BLANKS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Sept. 7. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR I I Original application filed September pa ented-nae '23, 1925'.

UNITED ATES PATENT OFFICE. I

CHARLES FASSINGER, or ea'nmcx, rENNsYLvANrA, ASSIGNOR 'ro OLIVER IRON a STEEL 'CORPORATION,' OF PITTSBURGH, rEnNsYLvANIA, A CORPORATION or .1 ENNsYLvamA.

mncnamsm ronrnnnmo BLANKS AND THE LIKE.

To (ZZZ-whom it may concern: I Be it known that I, CHA LES FASSINGER, acitizen of the United States,-and resident of Carrick, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mechanism for F eeding Blanks and the like; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to feeding mechanism and has special reference to handling mechanism operating to deliver' blanks and e the like;

One object of my invention is to provide mechanism of the character indi'catedwhich shallbe simple and-rugged in construction, andwhich shall operate. automatically to bringblanks one by one into proper relation, as to forging dies.

' Another object of my invention is to provide mechanism of thecharacter indicated which may be constructed as an independent unit, and may be readily applied to existing machines. A further object of my-invention isto provide improved means for positioning each blank both lengthwise and angularly in an accurate manner. 1

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the following description, taken .in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein my invention is illustrated as applied to a bolt heading machine having a. roughing pass and a finishing pass. It will be understood that my invention is not restrictedv to forging machines but may be employed equally well in other relations. a

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a bolt-heading machine equipped with my improved feeding and work-handling mechanism; Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational. View of the feed table, the carrier and the gripper; F ig. 3 is a plan View ofthe structure shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 2- with the parts in another operating position; Fig. 5 is a still further enlargement, partly inside elevation and partly in section of the apparatus of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a planview of the gripper-opening cam plicat-ion, Serial No. 661,425, filed September 7 1923, seria m'. 661,425. Divided andthiu application med July 22, 1924. Serial No. 727,587. r

7, 1923, Patent No. 1,517,971, December 2, I

1924. The forging mechanism shown herein is similar to that described in m Patent No. 1,503,312, issued J My 29, 1924. y In the drawings I have shown, for the purpose of illustrating my invention, the essential parts of a machine which is similar in its construction to existing two-pass boltheading machines, and which comprises a frame 2 mounted on suitable standards 3 and provided with a fixed roughing die block 4, a fixed finishing die block 5, a movable roughing die block 6, and a movable finishing die block 7. The movable die blocks 6 and 7 are carried by a die carrier 8 on an arm 9 whichvrocks upon a horizontal shaft 10. The arm 9 is rocked upon the shaft 10 to reciprocate the die blocks 6 and 7 toward and away from the fixed blocks 4 and 5 and by means of toggles 11 that are operated by means of a slide 12 which is reciprocated by a cam carried by a power shaft, not shown. A spring 13 is connected to a lug 14 on the arm 9 and to a stationary portion of the machine frame and tends to arm 9 to the left as shown in Fig. 1.

The power shaft also carries a crank for reciprocating a heading block 15 which, as shown in Fig. .3 is disposed in line with the dies described above, and carries corresponding upsetting dies. The power shaft of the machine also carries a bevel gear wheel 18, Fig. 1, which is employed to actuatea portion of the slide mechanism to be described below.

In order to feed the stock to the machine and to carry passes, I provide an automatic feedin device, a carrier mechanism, and a gripper mechanism which receives eachblank from the carrier and presents the blanks in succession to the dies. The gripper mechanism is somewhat similar to that shown in Patent 1,503,312 and is operated by means of a horizontally movable slide mounted in upper andlo'wer guidesf,21 ,,and 22 atthe pull the the stock through the forging crank lever composed of arms 23 and 24, this horizontally at intervals by means of a bell bell crank lever being operated by power derivedfrom the main power shaftof the 7 machine. Thearm 24 of. the bell crank lever engagesaroller 25 carried by a vertical rod 26 which is secured to the slide 20. Two

springs arereceived in stationary seats 27 in' the machine frame and bear against the slide 20, tending to force'it to the right, Fig.

1', while the bell crank lever 23-24 acts "to inove'the slide to the left, Fig. 1.

.' The slide 20 carries a vertically movable slide. 30cm which is mounted the gripper mechanism which will be described below.

' The vertical slide 30 is provided at its lower end with'a cam roller 31 which rides upon the periphery of a cam 32 secured to a horizontal cam shaft 33 which is mounted in bearings 34 and 35, and which car ries, in addition to the cam 32, a carrier-operating cam 36, a gripper-opening cam 37, andanother cam 38 which operates a pusher rod for positioning the blanks on the feed table. The cam shaft 33 also carries a bevel gear wheel 39 meshing with a bevel pinion 40 on 4 an inclined shaft 41 which carries at its upper end a bevel gear 42 meshing with the bevel gear 18 which, as stated above, is carried bythe main power shaft of the machine. The several mechanisms actuated by the crank shaft 33 will be described in their turn, following the movement of a blank through the machine.

The blanks may be fed to the machine automatically or by hand. In either case, each blank is placed upon an inclined plate 47, rolls downthis plate, and strikes a stationary stop plate 48 which is adjustably spaced above an inclined upper feed table section 49. The stop plate 48 serves to check'the movement of the blank and causes the blank tofall upon the upper section 49 of a feed table 50, whereupon the blank passes beneath the stop plate 48 and rolls down the feed table section 49, from which it passes to the main feed table 50. The feed table sect-ions'49 and 50 are mounted on a hori- ,zontal' bar 51 that is carried by a standard so as to give the blanks a tendency to roll toward the gaging strips 53 and 54, which assists in bringing the blanks to the proper position at the lower end of the feed table. The stop plate 48 may be set perpendicular to the gaging strips or may, if desired, be so adjusted as to cause the blank to roll somewhat away from the gaging strips. In order plate 48', thebracket 55, which supportsthis stop plate at the front ofjthe'machine, is

provided with a slot 56 surrounding a bolt c 57 which clamps the stop plate 48 to" the feed table 49in its adjusted position.

Lower end upon a stationary bracket 60 and carries three gates, 61, 62 and 63 which are reciprocatedabove the feed table in proper timed relation to deliver the blanks from 75" I the lower end of thefeed tableone by one and at the propertimeto be received by the blank carrier. that the blank will not roll from-the feed table until the carrier is ready to receive it;"

the second gate 62 insures that only one blank at a time can be delivered from the feed ta'ble, and the upper gate 63. insures that all of the blanks will be stopped by the gate 62 before they areallowed to pass to the lower gate 61. These gates are so interconnected that when the lower gate 61 is down,'the second gate 62 is raised and the upper gate63 is down, and that when the lower gate 61 is raised, the second gate 62 is down and the upper gate 63 is raised.

The gates are raised and lowered by means of the swinging blank carrier described below, this carrier being arranged to lift the lower gate61 when it rises to take-a blank from the feed table, and to then release the gate 61 when the carrier swings down and away from the feed table. The carrier is the sole means for operating the several gates. The lower gate 61 is secured to the ends of the swinging arms 64 which are arranged at opposite sides of the feed table and are loosely pivot-ed at their upper ends upon pins 65 carried by brackets 66. The gate 62 is similarly carried at the ends of pivoted arms 67, the opposite ends of which are loosely pivoted upon pins 68 carried by the brackets 66. vThe upper gate 63 is carried by two swinging arms 70 pivotally mounted between their ends upon pins 71 carried by brackets72. The arms 70 extend above and beyond the intermediate gate 62 and rest upon the enlargements 67 ofthe arms 67 to which the gate 62 is attached. Yokes 73, carried by the intermediate gate 62, surround the arms 70 and insure that the movement of the intermediate gate 62 shall be communicated to the upper gate 63 so'that when one of these gates rises, the otherwill descend, and vice-versa.

Two springs 75 and 76 are secured at each side of the feed table 50 by means of bolts 77. The springs 76 rest upon the enlargements 64 of the-arms 64 which carry the lower gate 61, while the springs 75 similarly rest 11 on the enlargements 67 which carry the lntermediate gate 62, and the The lower gate 61 insures lower positions. The springs 76 should be to adjust the angular position of the stop strongerthan the spring 75because they are required' not only, to depress the lower gate against the pressure-of the spring 75.

.F or the purpose of interconnecting the arms '64 and 67 so as to move simultaneously in opposite directions, I provide at each side of the feed table a two-armed lever 78 which is pivoted midway between its ends on a bracket-79. Each ofthe levers 78 carries at one of its ends a pin 80 on which is finounted a roller'81'. which engages beneath the adjacent arm 64. Each of the levers 78 also carries at its opposite end a pin 82 extending in the-opposite direction with respect to the pin "80 and carrying a roller 83 which. engages beneath the adjacent arm 67. It will thus beap'parent when the lower gate 61 is lifted, its supporting arms64 will be rocked on their'pivots 65 against the pressure of the springs 76, andfthat the spring 75 will thus be able to depress the intermediategate 62 toward the feed table thereby rocking the levers 78 upon their pivots, and also raising the upper gate 63. When the lower gate isreleased, the spring 76 will lower this gate toward the feed table and this movement will be j communicated through the-arms 64 and the levers 78 to ASl'lOlVll on Fig. 5, the gage 54 on the .feedtable 50 is provided with notches 84 and 85'toadmit the gates 62 and 63, and these gates are also'provided with corresponding notches to enable the gates to descendjto the surface of-the feed table 50.

Each blank B rolls down thefeed table I 50, audit the. rear gate 63 is down, the

blank will bestoppedat this gate as shown in-Fig. 5. If the rear gate 63 should be raised-and the intermediate gate62 is lowered,the blank will pass under the rear gate 63- without touching it and will be stopped by the'gate- 62;, In either case the blank cannot reach the lower gate 61 without first being stopped. by-the gate 62 because as soonas the rear gate'63 is raised any blank that may have beenheld by this gate will rollinto contact with the gate 62 which has been lowered at the same time that the upper gate 63 is raised. While the blank is resting against the lower gate 61 it is movedlengthwise toward the gage 54:- offthe feed table by means of a pusher rod'.90 which is reciproc'at'ed just above the feed table and near its lower end by means I of the cam 38'carried'by the cam shaft 33.

This reciprocating movement of the pusher rod isproducedthrough a cam roller 91 carried by the lower end of a bent arm 92 which is pivotally mounted in a bearing 93 secured to the machine frame and which carries a' curved arm 94 that extends upwardly and laterally, and is provided at its upper end with a fork 95. The two arms 61, but to raise the intermediate gate 62 zontal rodi98 whichis slidably .mounted' in bearings 99 and 99 secured beneath the feed table 50. The portion- 100 ofthe rod 98 which slides through the first bearing 99is preferably madesquardand tl1e-bcal-, ing 99 is similary shaped so as to prevent lateral movement of the pusher rod 90. The remainderofthe rod 98 is preferably round. A spring 101 surrounds the rod 98 between the rear bearing 99* and a nut 102 carried by the rod98, and this spring tends to move the rod 98 inwardly while. the fork 95 acts to move the rod 98 outwardly. The spring 101 may be replaced by a weight connected to the inner end of the rod 98 by means of a suitable cordand pulley.

The collar 97 is secured on the rod- 98 by means of a collar 103 and a nut 103. An-armlO l is secured to or made integral with the collar 97 and is provided with a split clamp 105 in which thepusher rod 90 .is adjustably secured by means of. a clamping belt 106.

It will be seen that when the fork 95 moves away from the feed table, 50 it will draw with it the pusher rod 90, and that when the fork moves toward the feed table, the pusher rod will be drawn inwardly by the spring 101 or by the e uivalcnt weight, and will engage the end 0 a blank resting against the lower gate 61, forcing the opposite end of the blank against the gage 54 if it is not already there. Since this gaging movement of the pusher rod is produced by a spring or by a weight, no damage will result if the blanks should be longer than the normal length, or if the blanks should for any reason become twisted or piled so as to stop the pusher rod short of its normal stroke.

The adjustable mounting of the pusher rod 90 may be readily changed for operating upon blanks of different lengths, and the maximum length of stock that can be handled in this machine is limited only by the Width of the feed table 50.

The; blank carrier or transfer mechanism which receives the blank from the feed table and delivers it to the gripper mechanism will now be described. The transfer mechanism is mounted upon a standard secured to the top of the machine frame 2 by means of bolts 111. The standard 110 ter-of an inch. ,1 I The rocking movement of the square shaft115 is produced in one direction by means ".of gravity assisted by a spring 116 connected between a fixed stud 117 and a ring. 118 carriedby a split collar 119 which is clamped upon the square-shaft 115. The

. spring 116 insures that the moving parts of shaft'115, assisted by the spring 116, rocks thecarrier will operate properly and without chattering. Rocking movementof the square shaft inthe other direction is-producedby'means of a lever arm 120 carried by the split collar 119. A grooved roller 121 rides upon the lever arm 120 and is mounted loosely upon a pin 122 which is carried by a-fork 123on the end of a lever l ,pin carried by a stationary bracket 126.

124 that is mounted on a stationary pivot The rear end of the lever 124 is provided with a roller 125 that rests u on an adjustable bearing screw 126 which is screwed into the upper end of rod 127. The rod 127 is mounted slidably in stationary bearings 128 and carries at its lower end a cam roller which'runs upon'the periphery of the cam 36. Through the mechanism' .just described, the cam 36 depresses the lever 120 once during eachrevol'ution of the cam shaft 33 and rocks the square shaft 115 in a counter clockwise direction, Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, after which the lever 120 is released and the weight of the parts carried by the square the square shaft back in a clockwise direction.

This rocking movement of the square shaft 115 swings two sets of carrier jaws between anupper receiving position adjacent to the lower end of the feed table 50, as shown in Fig. 4, and a lower discharging position shown in Figs. 2 and 6, where the blank taken by the carrier from the feed table is delivered to the gripper mechanism.

Each of the carriers carried by the shaft 115 is constructed as best shown in Fig. 5, and includes two relatively movable jaw members 130 and 131. The jaw member 130 is carried by an arm 132 that is formed integral with a split clamp 133 which surrounds the square shaft 115 and is secured thereto by vmeans of a bolt 134. The jaw member 131 is ivotally mounted on a pin 135 carried by the arm 132 of the jaw member 130. The jaw member 131 also carries an arm 136 in which is adjustably screwed arod 137. A spring 138 is connected between the upper end of the rod 137 and the outer end of another rod 139 which is fixed in an opening-in the square shaft 115. The spring 138 thus tends to rock the jaw member 131 to its closed position with relation to the jaw member 13 elevation suited to the The downward rocking movement-ofjtliejj carriers ishmited by'mea'n's of a sto screw 140 whichfextends-through a niem er 141' that projects from the. head 112 .oppositeto} I 70- against the clamping screw-1134 of this set one ofthe sets of. carrier jaws and-bears of jsjtws. v

i hen the-square shaft the'endof the pivoted jaw member131-engages'the lower edge of the feed table 50,

j 7115 is rocked to i raise the carrier jaws towardthe feed table, f 2.

as shown in Fig. 4, and prevents this jaw member from rising farther. The rocking movement of the shaft 115 continues to an diameter of the blanks B, this elevation being changed, when desired, by adjusting the screw 126 which operates thelever 124. The opening of the carrier jaws is accompanied by the lifting of the lower gate 61, which allows a blank B to roll into the carrier jaws as shown in Fig. 4.' This lifting of the gate 61.

accompanied by corresponding movements of the gates 62 and 63 is produced by means of lugs 143, which are carried on the upper sides of the carrier jaw members 130, and which engage beneath smallangle pieces 144 that are secured to the outer surface of the lower gate 61 of the feed table. This method of raising the lower gate insures the proper timed relation between the raising of the gate and the opening of the carriers at the feed table. When long blanks are being handled, both of the carriers carried by the square shaft 115 are employed'to receive and convey the blank, but for shorter blanks only the carrier nearest the die is needed, and this is the condition illustrated in Fig. 3 where the blanks B are not long enough to engage both of the sets of carrier jaws.

The carrier jaws remain open in the position of Fig. 4 only long enough to receive the blank and are then rocked down to the position of Figs. 2 and 5. During this downward rocking movement, the end of the blank that is to be upset is wiped against a stationary curved gage 145 which insuresstanding lug in line with a similar lug 151 on a plate 152 which is also arrange to slide in the groove 149 and is clamped in positionby means of a screw b0lt153. An adjusting screw 154 extends through a threaded opening in the lug 150 and through an unthreaded opening in the lug 151. The screw 154 is prevented from nov- .ing lengthwise through the lug 151 by means of set collars 154 and by turning the screw 154 the position of the gage 145 may be accurately adjusted.

For the purpose of insuring that each blank is brought into engagement with the gage 145 before entering the upsetting dies, the square shaft 115 is given the sliding lengthwise movement already referred to, this movement taking place in the direction toward the gage while the carriers are being swung down from the feed table. This lengthwise reciprocating movement is produced by means of a cam 155 secured to the square shaft 115 adjacent to a cam roller 156 that is covered by a pin 157 which hangs from the under side of the stationary head 112. The cam 155 is so shaped that when the shaft 115 rocks to raise the earriers to the feed table, the shaft 115 is moved outwardly as seen in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, and downwardly as seen in Fig. 3. This movement of the shaft compresses a spring 158 which surrounds an extension 159 of the shaft 115. between the head 112 and a washer 160. The tension of the spring 158 is regulated by means of a nut 161 secured on the outer end of the shaft extension 159. hen the shaft 115 rocks to lower the carriers away from the feed table, the spring 158 moves the shaft 115 inwardly as seen in'Figs. 1, 2 and 4, and upwardly as seen in Fig. 3. As stated above, the length of this movement of the shaft 115 may suitably be one-quarter of an inch.

If the blank has been properly positioned by the pusher 90 on the feed table, its end engages the gage 145 immediately when the blank is seized by the carriers, and when the carriers descend the blank is allowed to slide in the-carriers, thus maintaining its properly gaged position. If, however,

i the blank is not exactly in its proper posifrom the transfer carriers.

tion when it is seized by the carriers, the slight lengthwise movement of the carrier shaft will bring its end into engagement with the gage 145 during the descent of the carriers, and this insures that-the blanks will always be in proper position on entering the dies.

When the transfer carriers reach their lower osition as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the gripper mechanism removes the blank This gripper mechanism is best shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, and includes a fixed jaw 165, and a movable jaw 166, both of these jaws being carried by a bracket 167 which is mounted for horizontal adjustment on the upper end of the vertical slide 30, and is provided at its upper end with a vertical extension 168 which carries the fixed jaw member 165 and also carries bearings for the ends of a rod 169. The lower movable jaw member v166 is carried by a collar 170 that is keyed to ably two arms 171 and 172. The arm 171 is employed for opening the jaws 165 and 166 to receive the blanks from the transfer mechanism, while the other arm 172 is employed to close the jaws after they have received the blank, and to thereafter open the jaws during the forging operation,-and after the article has been finished.

For the purpose of causing the arm- 172 to rock the rod 16.) and open the tongs to receive the blanks from the carrier mechanism, I provide a earn 173 which, as shown in Fig. 7, is carried by a member 174 that is adjustably mounted by means of a bolt 175 in a slot 176 formed in a vertical plate 177 that is pivoted at 178 to a fixed bracket 179 carried by the machine frame 2. A leaf spring 180 bears against the outer surface of the pivoted plate 177 as best shown in Fig. 6. The arm 171 carries a cam roller 181. When the slide 30 carried by the horizontally movable slide rises and then moves to the left as seen in Fig. 5, the cam roller 181 rides over the upper surface of the cam 1'73, thereby rocking the rod 167 and moving the jaw 166 away from the jaw 165. The position of the parts at this time is shown in Fig. 5. During the opening movement of the jaw 166, the arm 172 is also rocked with the rod 167. This movement acts through a rod 182 to compress a spring 183 which surrounds the rod 182 between a fixed bracket 184 and a washer and nut scoured to the lower end of this rod. When the roller 181 passes beyond the earn 173, the spring 183 acts through the rod 182 and the arm 172 to snap the jaw back to the I opening the jaws to discharge the finished 1 bolt. For the purpose of operating the jaws in this manner, I provide a roller 185 carried by the horizontal portion 186 of a vertical rod 187 that is slidably mounted in bearings 188. The rod 187 is provided at its lowerend with a cam roller 189 which runs upon the Jeriphery of the cam 37 described above. T 1e cam 37 acts to raise the arm 187 when the vertical slide is raised by the cam 32. Thereafter the rod 187 is held stationary for a time, and when the slide 30 descends to bring the blank in the gripper to the finishing pass, that is, between the dies 5 and 7, the cam 37 gives the rod 187 a slight upward impulse which causes the cam roller 185 to engage the roller 181 carried by the arm 171 so as to momentarily open the gripper jaws to a slight extent and permitthe blank to be moved lengthwise in the dies in the manner described in blank then passes under the stop my Patent No. 1,503,512 mentioned above. The rod 187 then descends to the proper point to again engage the cam roller 181 when the slide descends to bring the gripper jaws .to the boltdischarging position, at which time the roller 185 again operates through the roller 181 and the arm 171: to open the gripper jaws anddischarge the bolt.

In the operation of the machine described above, the blanks B are placed one by one on theinclined' plate 47, and each blank as it rolls from the plate 4:7 strikes the stop plate 48 and is al'ined in the desired position with relation to the gage 54. The late 48 and rolls down the feed table 50. T 1e blank is stopped either by the upper gate 63 or by the intermediate gate 62, and if the blanks are fed faster than the dies can operate upon them. the blanks will accumulate in a row above the gate 62. At each reciprocation of the gates 61 and 62 a single blank is allowed to escape below the gate (31, and the gate 62 at the same time descends so as to retain any other blanks that may be upon the feed table. This movement of the gates is produced by the lug 143 which is swung up with the jaws of the carrier and engages beneath the angle pieces 14 1. During this jaws are thus same upward movement of the carrier jaws, the lower jaw 131 strikes beneath the lower edge of the feed table 50 and the carrier opened to receive the blank B which escapes beneath the gate 61. The carrier immediately descends, the carrier jaws being closed by the spring 138 as soon as the lower jaw 131 is free from the lower end of the feed table 50.

The slide 30 carrying the gripper jaws is lifted by the cam 32 to bring the cam rollers 181 to the level of the stationary cam 173. Immediately thereafter the slide 20 moves to the left, Figs. 1 and 5, thereby carrying the cam roller 181 over thecam 173 and opening the gripper jaws. The movements of the parts are so timed that when the gripper jaws and the carrier jaws are at the positi-on shown in Fig. 5, a slight further movement of the slide 20 to the left causes the gripper jaws to close around the blank, and the slide 30 immediately begins to descend and carries the blank 'in the path indicated indotted lines on Fig. 5, the movements of the slides 20 and 30 being timed to produce this movement of the blank in the proper relation to the movement of the dies. lVhen the blank is in the finishing pass the gripper jaws are released momentarily in the manner described above so as to enable the blank to be moved lengthwise in the die. When the dies are again opened, the vertical slide 30 again descends and moves to the left, thereby bringing the blank to the discharging the intermediate gate 62, at the lower gate 61 where the blank is pushed against the gage 54 by the pusher rod 90, and at the gage 145 against which the end of the blank is wiped during the descent of the carrier,

jaws. The position of the final gage 145 determines the amount of stock that will be upset to form the head of the finished article. and the adjustment of this gage upon the carrier head 112 provides a convenient means for changing at will the size of the upset head.

I claim as my invention:

1. Feeding mechanism comprising an inclined feed table. means for gaging blanks upon said table. means for releasing blanks one by one from the lower end of said table, a carrier adapted to receive said blanks as released from said table, and means associated with said carrier for again gaging the said blanks while being transported by said carrier.

2. Feed mechanism comprising an inclined plate adapted 'to initially receive blanks. an inclined feed table disposed at a lower level than said plate and having a gaging strip at one side thereo t, a stop plate carried by said teed table adjacent to the lower end of said first-named plate, said stop plate being adapted to-chcck the movement of blanks and also to cause said blanks to move in a predetermined direction with respect to the said gagingstrips. gates vcrtically movable above said teed table and adapted to release said blanks one by one from the lower end of said feed table. and a carrier adapted to receive said blanks as released from said teed table.

3. Feeding mechanism comprising an inclined feed table. a gate vertically movable above said table near the lower end thereof. arms carrying the said gate and pivotally mounted at their ends opposite to said gate. springs carried by said teed table and tending to move said gate toward said teed table, a second gate spaced from said firstnamed gate. pivoted arms carrying said second gate, springs tending to move said second gate toward said teedl table. a twoarmed lever pivotally mounted adjacent to the arms carrying said gate, and rollers extending in opposite directions from the ends of said two-arn'ied lever and engaging beneath the said gate-supporting arms, the

said rollers acting to cause the descending movement of said lirstmamed gate to raise said secoiul-named gate.

at. Feeding mechanism comprising an inclined feed table having a gaging strip along one side thereof, an inclinedplate for initially receiving blanks and for discharging said blanks upon said feed table, a stop plate of adjustable inclination supported by said feed table lJQlOW- theend of said plate and spaced above said feed table, agate disposed above said feed table near the lower end thereof, brackets carried by said feed table, arms pivotally connected to said brackets at opposite sides of said feed table and supporting said gate at their forward ends, springs carried by said feed table at opposite sides thereof and tending to move said gatetoward said feed table, two other arms pivotally connected to said brackets, a second gate carried by the forward ends of said last-named arms and spaced from said first-named gate, springs tending to more said second gate toward said feed table. the strength of the last named springs being less than the strength of said firstnamed springs, two-two-armed levers disposed one on each side of said feed table adjacent to the arms which carry said. gates, rollers extending in opposite directions from said levers and engaging beneath said arms. a second pair of brackets 'arried by said feed table, arms pivotally carried by said brackets, a third gate carried by the upper ends of said last-named arms, yokes carried by said second gate and surrounding said last-named arms, whereby said third gate is caused to rise when said second gate descends and to demend when said secont gate rises, and lifting members projecting from the lower side of said first-named gate.

5. Feeding mechanism comprising an inclined feed table down which blanks may descend by gravity. said feed table having a longitudim-il gaging strip, means for arresting the movement of said blanks near the lower end of said feed table, and a pusher arranged to engage each of said blanks and push said blank into contact with said gaging strip.

6. Feeding mechanism comprising an in clined feed table down which blanks may descend by gravity. said feed table having a longitudinal gaging strip, means for arresting the movement. of said blanks near the lower end of said feed table, a pusher arranged to engage each of said blanks and push said blank into contact with said gaging strip, the said pusher comprising a rod mounted to reciprocate above and near the lower end of said food table, means for withdrawing said rod away from said gaging strip, and yielding means for moving said rod toward said gaging strip.

7. Feeding mechanism comprising an inclined feed table down which blanks may descend by gravity, said feed table having Y lower end of said feed table, means for withdrawing said rod away from said gaging strip, yielding means for moving said rod toward said gaging strip, and means for adjusting the effective length of said rod.

8. Feeding mechanism comprising an inclined feed table down which blanks may descend by gravity. said feed table having a longitudinal gaging strip, means for arresting the movement of said blanks near the lower end of said feed table, a pusher arranged to engage each of said blanks and push said blank into contact with said gag ing strip, the said pusher comprising a rod mounted to reciprocate above and near the lower end of said feed table, means for withdrawing said rod away from said gaging strip, yielding means for moving said rod toward said gaging strip, and a guide rod slidably supportedbeneath said feed table and connected to move with said pusher rod.

9. Feeding mechanism comprising an inclined feed table down which blanks may descend by gravity, said feed table having a longitudinal gaging strip, means for arresting the movement of said blanks near the lower end of said feed table. means for pushing each of said blanks into contact with said gaging strip, said pushing means con'iprising a rod reciprocating horizontally above said feed table and near the lower end thereof, a holder adjustably secured to said rod, a guide rod secured to said holder and slidably supported beneath said feed table, a spring surrounding said guide rod and tending to move said guide rod and said pusher rod toward said gaging strip, a fork adapted to engage said holder and to draw said rod away from said gaging strip. and a camoperated lever for actuating said fork.

In testimony whereof I, the said CHARLES Fassnsonn, have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES FASSINGER. 

